Cable winding apparatus



Aug. 3, 1954 e. w. ALLEN CABLE WINDING APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 28, 1851 Fig. I

I I00 98 O Fig. 6

. George W Allen IN VEN TOR.

Aug. 3, 1954 s. w. ALLEN 2,685,097 CABLE WINDING APPARATUS Filed May 28, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 George W Allen Patented Aug. 3, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,685,097 CABLE WINDING APPARATUS George W. Allen, Omaha, Nebr. Application May 28, 1951, Serial No. 228,652

1 Claim.

drain pipes.

The primary object of this invention is to provide an improved apparatus for reeling or unreeling a flexible cable of the type employed for cleaning sewers and drain pipes.

A further object of the invention is to provide a cable Winding device in These, together with various ancillary features and objects of the invention, which will later tion line 33 of Figure 4;

Figure 4 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken bstantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 44 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional view of a rection; and,

'gure 6 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially upon the nism of the invention.

Referring now views, attention is directed chiefly to Figure 3 wherein it will be seen that th device preferably comprises a cylindrical or frusto-conical housing, the latter form being illustrated at I 0 and including a circular rear wall l2 and an open front end l4. As shown, the diameter of the extremity of an axle 34. The latter is disposed axially of th housing 0 and is stationary therein, being further supported by forwardly extending braces 36 having a bushing 38 for receiving the axle 34, suitable fastening bolts 40 being provided for securing the members 36 to the bushings and th latter to the axle as shown.

At their other extremities, the members 36 are bolted as at 42 to the rear wall l2.

the bushing 38.

Rotatably journaled upon the stationary axle 4 is a hollow drum end 50, this front end being disposed closely adjacent the open front end [4 of the housing It. The rear end, however, is closed by an annular band or ring 52 which is disposed between the inner and outer sleeves 46 and 48 and which is fixedly secured to and supports the same by any desired type of fastening connection.

The drum '44 is rotatably mounted upon the and 56 respectively, the front bearings having radially disposed spokes 58 which the bearing is attached to the inner sleeve 46 adjacent the open front end of the same, while the rear bearing 56 has bolted thereby as by fastening bolts 60, the radially disposed and rearwardly extending spokes 62 the outer ends of which are secured as by bolts 65 to the ring 52.

It will be noted that the drum is thus supported upon the cantilever portion of the stationary axle 34, but partially encloses and envelopes the forward bearing supports 33 of the axle. This provides, as shown in Figure 3, a very compact arrangement while permitting the utilization of substantially the entire length of the casing ill to thereby permit the employment of a drum of the maximum size.

A tubular guide 86 is provided for slidably and rotatably receiving a flexible cable 68 of a type customarily employed for cleaning and unstopping sewer and drain pipes.

This rotary guide includes a cylindrical portion "it which is rotatably journaled in the nose piece 22 of the conical closure l6, and a set screw 12 may be provided for locking the guide in rotatably adjusted position. The other end of the guide, as at 7%, is disposed closely adjacent the open end of the annular cable storing chamber of the drum. An annular retainer plate 76 is disposed upon the screw threaded extremity is of the axle 3t, being retained thereon as by a fastening nut t l. it is contemplated that the retainer plate it shall be fixedly and stationarily secured to the stationary axle 3%, but removable therefrom as desired. The periphery of the plate it closely overlies the open end of the annular chamber 58 to form a closure for the same, and between the extremity 14 of the guide 66 and the open end of the storage chamber, the plate 5% is provided with a notch 82 through which the flexible cable 88 is threaded.

It will now be apparent that if the width between the walls 15 and d8 of the annular cable storage chamber 58 is made substantially equal to or slightly greater than the diameter of the flexible cable 88, the latter will be smoothly and evenly wound upon the inner wall 46. Upon rotation of the drum, by a means to be subseuently set forth, the through the slot 52 in the retainer plate 5%, through the guide 55 and outwardly of the casing, either inwardly or outwardly depending upon the direction of rotation of the drum. Thus,

the cable when wound in will be completely enclosed in the annular storage chamber within the drum; will be guided throughout substantially its entire range of movement; and the guide and drum will be housed in a dust-proof casing.

In order to provide a reversible driving means for the drum and for rotating the latter by power, the following mechanism is provided. Secured to any convenient portion of the drum, as for example upon the base portion of the circumference thereof, is an annular track in the form of a channel member 8 2. This channel member has a pair of concave walls 36 and 88 which face each other. A pair of bracket supports are secured to the exterior surface of the casing ill, these supports consisting of parallel mid-portions $13, having downturned supporting legs 92 upon one end which are secured in any desired manner to the end wall 12 of the casing, and having downturned supporting legs 94 at the other ends which are suitably secured to the exterior surface of the housing It. An electric motor 9'6 is pivotally mounted between the mid-portions S9 for pivoting movement in a direction longitudinal of the housing Hi and cable will be moved i transversely of the channel member 84. A crank arm 98 is secured to the axle or trunnions pivotally supporting the motor 96, and a connecting link I60 is pivoted to the crank arm at the lower end of a manually operated lever I02 which is pivoted as at I04 to one of the mid-portions 90.

Obviously, by rocking the lever I52 as shown in Figures 3 and 5, the motor can be tilted to either of the two positions shown in Figures 3 and 5.

The motor shaft I06 extends through a slot 568 of the housing It and is provided with a friction roller H0 which is loosely receivable within the track or channel 84.

The arrangement is such that the motor may be selectively moved into either of the positions in Figures 3 and 5 whereby the friction roller will engage one or the other of the channel walls 35 and 88. Thus, the motor, by drivingly engaging either of the tWo oppositel disposed walls, is capable of frictionally driving the drum in reverse directions of rotation.

It will thus be apparent that the operator can readily and easily reverse the direction of rotation of the drum so as to selectively force out or reel in the flexible cable 68 and readily manipulate the same in a sewer or drain pipe for unclogging, cleaning or opening the same.

From the foregoing, the construction and operation of the device will be readily understood and further explanation is believed to be unnecessary. However, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the appended claim.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

A cable winding apparatus comprising support means, an axle mounted on said support means, a drum rotatably mounted on said axle, said support means including a casing enclosing said axle and said drum and having an. axial opening therein spaced from one end of said axle and axially aligned with said axle, a guide for a rotary cable mounted on said support means and having a portion thereof disposed in said opening for guiding a cable betweensaid drum and opening during rotation of the drum, a driving track on said drum, a motor mounted on said support means and having a friction roller operatively engaged with said driving track, said drum, including concentric walls being spaced equidistant from one another throughout their width to define an annular cable storing chamber therebetween said driving track comprising an annulus, lever means for moving said motor to selectively engage the roller with opposite walls of said driving track for reversing rotation of said drum, and a pair of sl-shaped brackets mounted on said support means, said motor being pivotally mounted on and between said brackets. said lever means being operatively mounted on said brackets.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

